how do you factor trinomial?

Question

^math 

Answer 1

There are three kinds of factoring:

I. GCF

II Grouping

III Unfoiling (my own name; it's not in your book).

 

If the trinomial terms have a common factor, bring it out front. If not, proceed to the next. Trinomials cannot factor by grouping because that requires 4 terms and 4 terms only! That brings you to unfoiling. To do that, open up two sets of parentheses: (       ) (       )

Look at the first term of your trinomial, and fill the first spot in each parenthesis with the factors of that first term (such as X and X, or if you have something like 2X², use X and 2X). Repeat this with the factors of the last in the second spots of each parenthesis. Here's the hard part: you must test your outer and inner pairs to see if the make your middle polynomial term. If not, you may have to try switching them with each other, changing their signs, or replacing them with another pair. Don't give up!